Implementing the Friends and Family Test.

This article discusses the background to the Friends and Family Test, highlighting the commitment to improve the patient experience. It also demonstrates how patient feedback was used to improve services in Aintree University Hospital Foundation Trust.

A communication project to prevent pressure ulcers.

A strategic health authority cluster-wide programme was established in 2011 with the aim of minimising occurrences of avoidable grade 2, 3 and 4 pressure ulcers. This aim was achieved using an engagement programme, a SSKIN care bundle for frontline staff, a pressure ulcer collaborative and a communications campaign. This article focuses on the communications campaign developed to support the SHA ambition, discussing the social marketing approach used and describing some of the resources developed to raise awareness among staff.

Pressure ulcer prevention: making a difference across a health authority?

Pressure ulcers (PUs), their cause and prevention have been discussed in the literature for many decades. Their prevention and management has been the core of a tissue viability nurse's daily clinical and strategic workload. The important point to acknowledge is that not all PUs can be prevented but it is believed most of them can and all preventative measures must be implemented and evaluated.

Strategy to reduce avoidable pressure ulcers.

Pressure ulcers have a detrimental effect on patient health and wellbeing and place a significant economic burden on the NHS. NHS Midlands and East, a cluster strategic health authority, has embarked on a programme of "ambitions" to ensure high-quality care and patient safety. The SHA identified the elimination of all grade 2, 3 and 4 pressure ulcers by December 2012 as its first ambition.

Developing a bundle to improve fluid management.

Recent reports have highlighted concerns over inadequate patient hydration. A team from NHS East of England (now part of NHS Midlands and East) developed the intelligent fluid management bundle to support practitioners in ensuring patients receive adequate hydration.